Chapter 299

After Benedict, the young woodcarver, refused Lily's order, she lost contact with him; his phone number had been changed. She wanted to know the source of his wood, but the woodcarving shop owner refused to divulge Benedict's whereabouts. He had seemingly vanished.

Alexander offered to help locate Benedict, but he'd never even met the man. Lily didn't hold her breath; she knew it wouldn't be easy. More pressing matters demanded her attention.

Before she could focus on finding Benedict, Lily had a perfume convention to attend in Westwood. This was Rebirth's first major event, and she was attending alone—without anyone she knew and trusted. Jenny was working, and Olivia was unavailable. The company sent an assistant, Giselle Schmidt, in her stead. Giselle apparently had extensive experience and fluency in the Westwood language, which explained her assignment.

The journey was uneventful, though the lack of familiarity between Lily and Giselle created some distance. Lily found the flight exhausting and promptly fell asleep in her Westwood hotel room. She was unaware that Melanie and Frank checked into the same hotel two hours later.

"Why didn't you book a suite? I hate these cramped rooms," Frank complained, surveying their accommodations.

Melanie pointed at the ceiling. "I thought you wanted revenge? Lily's room is directly above us. This is your chance, if you're so inclined."

Frank looked up, laughed, and said, "You want me to make a hole in the ceiling so she falls into my arms?" Melanie rolled her eyes silently. Sometimes, she was astonished by his lack of intelligence.

"Of course not! But if something does happen, you can claim Lily wandered into the wrong room."

Frank understood, pinching her chin with a laugh. "You're so clever!"

"Is that why you wouldn't share a room with me?"

Frank, having been without a female companion for some time, suggested they share a room. Melanie insisted on separate rooms, far apart, much to his displeasure.

"How am I supposed to have any fun if I'm there?" he grumbled.

Melanie laughed, patted his shoulder, confident in her plan's success. But that wasn't the only reason for her insistence on separate rooms. First, she wanted no part of Frank's perversions; sharing a room with him would be torturous. She valued her body as a significant asset, believing she had much more to achieve and shouldn't waste it on Frank. Second, she wanted to ensure Lily's trip to Westwood was utterly ruined.

A knock on the door roused Lily. She gathered her hair, summoning the energy to answer.

"Who is it?"

"Ms. Christian, it's time to review your schedule," Giselle's voice replied.

"Isn't the convention tomorrow afternoon?" Lily mumbled sleepily, slightly disdainful. Giselle's seriousness felt excessive.

While acknowledging Giselle's capabilities, Lily found her inflexibility a poor match for her own personality.

"The Westwood organizers scheduled the exhibition for tomorrow morning; all participants can attend," Giselle said, consulting her schedule. "And there's a welcome dinner tonight. You need to shower, change, and apply makeup now."